Written by: Ainsley Saurers
No. 15 Kentucky men’s basketball fell to the Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas on Saturday
night, 82-78.
The starting line up for the Cats was Travis Perry, Otega Oweh, Koby Brea, Ansley Almonor,
and Amari Williams.
The Cat’s got to work quickly in the first few minutes of the game holding the lead 9-2 pushing
Texas into an early timeout. Coming out of the timeout the Longhorns scored the next six points,
this run was halted by Andrew Carr and Brandon Garrison growing the Cats lead, 13-8. Oweh’s
hands met the rim for a dunk following a few Texas buckets and the Longhorns tied up the
game. The game wasn’t tied for long when Williams responded, draining a three to nudge the
Cats into the lead. Texas took the lead going on a 5-0 run, 20-17.
Oweh managed a bucket to get the Cats close, but Texas did not let the Cats touch them,
scoring the next four points backing Kentucky into a timeout. Trent Noah made two free throws
and a bucket to get the Cats within one, 24-23. Texas went on another 4-0 run and Williams
answered with a three.
Almonor landed two baskets at the line and then tied the game 30-30. Noah drained a three in
answer to a Texas basket kickstarting a run with a Garrison alley-oop and a basket from Oweh.
The Longhorns responded, going on a 5-0 run to tie the game up. Almonor and Williams landed
a few baskets to get the lead back for the Cats going into halftime, 41-37.
Entering the second half, Williams was quick to score the first two points for the Cats. Oweh
followed his lead scoring himself a basket extending the Cat’s lead, 45-39. Almonor sank a three
after Texas got close, 48-41. Texas continued to climb going on a 5-0 run, 48-46.
Carr made two at the line, and Texas answered with an 8-1 run to grab the lead, 54-51. Brea put
away two free throws to inch the Cats closer to the lead, 54-53.Williams assisted Brea landing
some more buckets to tie up the game with less than ten minutes left of the game.
Williams pushed the Cats into the lead with a free throw, Oweh sank another basket, Williams
and Carr capped things off with some buckets extending the Cats lead, 65-60. Texas would not
go away and drained a three, 65-63.
Oweh crashed into the rim again with his second dunk of the night. Texas landed a free throw
and Williams answered it scoring on a putback. Texas tossed another three and then went on a
7-0 run after an Oweh free throw giving the Horns the lead, 76-70. The Cats couldn’t come back
after that and the Longhorns capped off the game with a 14-1 run.
Kentucky will be back in the Bluegrass this Wednesday to host the Vanderbilt Commodores in
Rupp, tipoff will be at 7 p.m. EST.
Photo: Lexington Herald Leader
